Weekly Dinners for 2 under $45 – Menu 3 will give you ideas or the exact menu and grocery list for this weeks dinners. Substitute different vegetables if you don’t like the ones I’ve selected. Also, if you don’t like some of the spices found in the recipes substitute them for ones you do like.
All recipes are suggestions. I can’t remember the last time I followed a recipe exactly to how it was written. I use what I have to keep cost down. If I don’t have the pasta it calls for I just make one I do have. If I don’t have the type of beans it suggests I use ones I do have.
Andrew asked me to start a new segment of balanced meals but at a lower cost. I know some of you are paying down/off debt while trying to navigate the rising cost of food. I realize that there is not a lot of variety in these menus but the more grocery items I add the higher the bill. I will do my best to keep cost down while continuing with healthy well rounded dinners for your families.
Dinners for the week - About $40.40
Sunday
- Buffalo Chicken
- Side:
- Potatoes
- Broccoli
Monday
- Tomato, Spinach and Butter Beans
- Side:
- Green beans
Tuesday
- Leftover:
- Buffalo Chicken
- Side:
- Potatoes
- Broccoli
Wednesday
- Leftover:
- Tomato, Spinach and Butter Beans
- Side:
- Green beans
Thursday
- Cheeseburger Macaroni
- Side:
- Broccoli
Friday
- Leftover:
- Cheeseburger Macaroni
- Side:
- Green Beans
Saturday
- Leftover:
- Cheeseburger Macaroni
- Side:
- Corn
Grocery List - Store brand (Metro Detroit)
Prep the week!
I like to gather my storage containers before I start my prep. I love the look of the table with all of the containers and as I make progress, the containers disappear leaving me with a sense of accomplishment and encouragement to keep going. This picture is an example of one of my prep weeks.
Storage containers needed:
I like to use a sticky note or paper with a piece of tape to label my prep containers with the name of the meals.
- ¼ cup; garlic cloves
- 2 cup; onions (Tomato & Garlic Butter Bean Dinner & Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet)
- 6 cup; green beans (Side)
- 6 cup; broccoli (Side)
Let's start prepping!
I like to use a vegetable chopper to speed up this process.
Multiple Meals
- Peel 3 garlic cloves then place in a 1/4 cup container; refrigerate.
Tomato & Garlic Butter Bean Dinner & Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet
- Dice 2 onions then place in a 2 cup container; refrigerate.
Sides
- Trim green beans ends, cut into one inch pieces, do not wash then place in a 6 cup container; refrigerate.
- Chop broccoli into bite size pieces but do not wash then place in a 6 cup container; refrigerate.
Tips and Tricks for the weekly meals to go flawlessly!
Always start by reading the recipe all the way through then read my tips. Doing this before you start will help prevent “surprises” along the way.
If I’ve posted it then I have eaten it and called it good. Also, I know that the portions should work because I have done it. No guess work here. Measuring out your portion might be new for you and still leave you hungry after the meal. This is normal and it will take your body time to adjust. Try these tips:
- Don’t miss your afternoon snack because being ravenous at dinner time will lead to over eating.
- Drink 8 ounces of water before you begin your meal and after you end your meal.
- Eat a salad or raw vegetables with your meal.
- Eat a piece of fruit after a meal like an apple, pear, orange, etc. This will subside the hunger and it’s good for you.
- Wait 1 hour after your meal and if you are still hungry make some pop corn.
Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken
- Follow the recipe as directed
When the chicken is ready to serve:
Bring a pot of water to boil.
Rinse 2 cups of broccoli and add to boiling water for 4 minutes.
- Serve the broccoli with chicken and potatoes.
- I like to top my chicken with ranch or blue cheese dressing. Enjoy!
**Be Sure to save 8 ounces of chicken, 2 potatoes and 1 cup of broccoli for Tuesday night’s dinner.
Tomato, Spinach and Butter Bean
- Rinse 2 cups of green beans then place in a small prep bowl and set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to boil for the noodles.
Add 8 oz of noodles and green beans to the boiling water. Cook until noodles are al dente.
- While the pasta and green beans are cooking; follow the tomato & garlic butter been recipe as directed.
- I like to separate the pasta from the green beans so I can have the tomatoes on top of the pasta and the green beans on the side. Enjoy!
**Be sure to save 2 servings of noodles, sauce and green beans for Wednesday night’s dinner.
Warm chicken, potatoes and broccoli. Enjoy!
Warm tomato and garlic butter beans with the pasta and green beans. Enjoy!
Cheeseburger Macaroni
- Preheat oven to 425° F
- Prep to cook sides
Rinse remaining broccoli and place to one side of the sheet pan.
Rinse remaining green beans then place them to the other side of the sheet pan.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper evenly over the vegetables then mix well.
Roast for 10 minutes stir then continue to cook for 10 more minutes.
Once the vegetables are in the oven start the macaroni skillet.
Follow the recipe as directed. Enjoy!
**Be sure to portion out 4 servings of macaroni and half the vegetables for Friday and Saturday night’s dinners.
Warm cheeseburger mixture and roasted vegetables.
**Be sure to set aside 2 servings of cheeseburger skillet for dinner on Saturday.
- Bring a pot of water to boil
- Add corn for 4 minutes then drain
- Warm cheeseburger skillet. Enjoy!
